The present invention relates to beds, and more specifically, to a bed that is convertible between a sleeping configuration and a seating configuration.
In many residential and institutional settings, it is common to utilize furniture which is capable of performing more than one function due to a limited amount of available living space. For example, in order to conserve space, a bed may also double as sitting furniture such as a couch. In this manner, the need for additional furniture is eliminated such that available space is utilized efficiently while providing all functions required for occupants of the space. A number of dual-purpose articles of furniture have been developed for use in limited space environments. One example is a conventional futon frame which can be positioned in either a seating configuration or a sleeping configuration. The frame supports a cushion which provides a comfortable sleeping or seating surface. In order to move the frame between its sleeping and seating configurations, it is necessary for the user to manually manipulate and reposition the entirety of the frame and the cushion.
Pull-out bed systems are also known, and include a mattress and frame combination adapted for movement to an outward sleeping position relative to a cabinet wall, in which the entire upper surface of the mattress is exposed. In one form, the mattress and frame are moved inwardly to a sitting position such that an inner portion of the mattress and frame are located below a cabinet and an outer portion defines a sitting surface located outwardly of the cabinet. The cabinet doors are typically padded, and form a backrest when the mattress and frame are in the inward sitting position. In another form, the mattress and frame can be slid or pivoted such that the entirety of the bed is stored away when not in use. These systems require the user to move the entirety of the mattress and frame between its inward and outward positions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a dual purpose article of furniture which can be utilized in either a sleeping configuration or a sitting configuration. It is a further object of the invention to provide such an article of furniture which is well suited for use in a built-in environment. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an article of furniture in which a minimum amount of effort is required to provide either a sleeping or sitting configuration for the article of furniture. Yet another object of the invention is to provide such an article of furniture which is easily installed in a predetermined amount of space and which is readily suited for retrofit installations. A still further object of the invention is to provide such an article of furniture which is relatively simple in its components and construction, yet which provides highly satisfactory operation as both sitting and sleeping furniture.
The present invention is a convertible daybed that includes a support, a cushion assembly connected to the support, and a backrest assembly connected to a swing arm assembly that is attached to the support on either side of the cushion assembly. The swing arm assembly is capable of easily and quickly moving the backrest assembly between a seating configuration and a sleeping configuration. The shape of the backrest that forms a part of the backrest assembly allows the backrest assembly to be positioned in either a conventional seating configuration or a substantially flat sleeping configuration with the cushion assembly.
The support may form a top wall of a hollow pedestal that can be used to store items such as sheets and pillows that are used in conjunction with the daybed. The daybed may also include a retractable sheet disposed beneath a rear area of the cushion assembly or elsewhere within the assembly to selectively provide a cover sheet for the daybed when in the sleeping configuration.
The construction of the daybed is simple and easy to assemble and maintain, allowing the daybed to be used in a wide variety of residential and institutional settings.
The swing arm assembly includes a bracket or other pivotable mounting arrangement attached to the support adjacent either end of the cushion assembly and a swing arm pivotably attached between the bracket and the backrest assembly. The swing arm assembly allows the backrest assembly to be moved from a seating configuration in which the backrest assembly is positioned vertically at the back of the cushion assembly to form a backrest, to a sleeping configuration in which the backrest assembly forms a level extension forwardly of the cushion assembly.
The backrest assembly includes a backrest shaped such that the bottom surface of a backrest pad in the assembly can conform to the shape of both the front and rear faces of each cushion forming the cushion assembly. Furthermore, when the backrest assembly is positioned in the sleeping configuration, the rear surface of the backrest lies coplanar with a top face of the cushions providing a substantially flat sleeping surface for the daybed.
The support on which the cushion and swing arm assemblies are mounted may form the top surface of a pedestal that positions the daybed above the floor of a room. The pedestal may have a hollow interior allowing items to be stored inside the pedestal beneath the daybed. To allow access to the interior of the pedestal, the support may be removable from the pedestal by lifting the support off of the pedestal using a handle secured to a front edge of the support. In another form, the pedestal may have an open front, and items may be accessible through doors mounted to the pedestal or within drawers for movement into and out of the interior of the pedestal.
The rearward extensions are removably insertable under retainers affixed to the support and open to receive the extensions. Each cushion frame includes a number of screws integrally attached to the bottom of the frame opposite the extensions that are removably insertable under aligned retainers on the support. The screws are removably fastened to the support by nuts threadably engaged with the ends of each screw protruding through the openings.
To enhance the convenience of the convertible bed when placed in the sleeping configuration, the bed may also include a retractable cover membrane or sheet mechanism located in a channel defined beneath the rear face of the cushion assembly. The cover membrane or sheet mechanism includes a fabric membrane that is connected to a spring retractor mechanism. The membrane or sheet is fastened to the backrest to extend over the bed in the sleeping configuration, and is automatically retracted when the backrest is replaced in the seating configuration.
The above summary pertains to a convertible bed with a single backrest cushion. In another form, the backrest may have a sectional construction to increase the overall height of the backrest. The sectional backrest construction includes an inner back section or cushion and an outer back section or cushion. The inner back cushion is preferably interconnected with the support as previously described, for movement between an upstanding rearward position to provide the seating configuration, and a lowered forward position to provide the sleeping configuration. When the backrest is in the upstanding rearward position, the inner section of the backrest extends upwardly from the seat cushion as described above. When the backrest is in the lowered forward position, the inner section of the backrest extends forwardly from the forward edge of the seat cushion to define an extension of the seat cushion.
The outer section of the sectional backrest extends upwardly from the inner section when the backrest is in its upstanding rearward position, to provide support for the upper area of a user""s back when seated on the seat cushion. The outer section is moved to an inoperative position when the backrest is moved to its lowered forward position. In the inoperative position, the outer section of the backrest is positioned below and inwardly of the inner section. The outer backrest section does not form a part of the sleeping surface when the backrest is moved to its lowered forward position, but rather is moved to an unobtrusive location below the inner section of the backrest. The outer backrest section is moved between its operative and inoperative positions via a linkage or arm arrangement which is interconnected with the pivot arm to which the inner backrest section is mounted. The arm or linkage arrangement functions to automatically move the outer backrest section between its operative and inoperative positions in response to movement of the inner backrest section between its upstanding rearward position and its lowered forward position.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.